Despite travelling to nearly 20 countries together, our first experience with a free walking tour was just this year! We do not go on organized tours very often and sometimes feel restricted and/or bored when we do. Our exact opposite of fun is the stereotypical tour guide holding a flag with 50 people diligently following behind him.
Our travel style typically involves trying to blend in and see local neighbourhoods and hotspots, while learning about a city’s culture (see more about our travel style here)
On our second day in Bogotá, we decided to take a free graffiti walking tour. Despite the fact that majority of the reviews online were positive, we were not too sure what to expect. Our previous apprehensions about the 50 people and the flag were quickly abolished. 
This did not feel like that at all. It was formal, but felt informal. Most of the people on the tour were younger than us and the amount of information we received from our knowledgeable tour guide, Jeff, was amazing. He has a degree in anthropology and a passion for graffiti culture. Hearing someone speak about a topic they are passionate about is more engaging than just hearing someone spouting off facts. We were able to learn about Colombian history, politics, culture and its people through graffiti!
Obviously, these “free” tours are not actually free. You are expected to tip at the end of the tour and the guide usually provides a framework so you can decide how much to give.
Since we had such a good experience in Bogotá, we thought we’d give free walking tours another go on our first day in Medellín. Our guide, Hernan impressed us from the beginning by accurately memorizing every person’s name and country, having only met us for a brief moment fifteen minutes prior to the tour! 
This whopping four-hour tour provided an extensive amount of information about the history, city, politics and culture of the paisas and Medellín. It was great to see many of the popular landmarks and be given recommendations for food and experiences on our first day in the city! When we returned the downtown on other occasions, it felt familiar and easy, thanks to our introduction on the tour.
The following day, we completed our third walking tour, but this time in the infamous Comuna 13 neighbourhood of Medellín. While our guide was a bit younger and less experienced, it still provided a great way to explore a neighbourhood through the lens of a local with some historical background included. 
We had the opportunity to watch local hip hop dancers and artists perform and had a treat, we sampled a delicious a cold mango lime (mango biche) ice pop!
Since these three introductions to free walking tours, we have taken one in Cartagena, Cusco and Santiago. Every tour had a different vibe set by the guide’s personal style and city we were visiting, but all were informative, fun and gave us a couple hours of exercise in a new city. Our tour in Cusco even ended with a pisco sour!
Free walking tours are an excellent value and a great way to get your bearings in a new city. As of the date of this posting, we have done six tours in five different cities, with many more to come!
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